Bottle-vending machine



April 28, 1931.

H. F. ROBBINS 1,803,146

BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wil INVENTOR. H ETLTH F. Ruhhins;

ATTO R N EYS.

April 28, 1931. H. F. ROBBINS BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. an? F Robbins ATTORNEYS.

April 28, 1931. H. F. ROBBINS 1,803,146

BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1 29 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

g t yFRuhhins.

ATTORNEYS.

April 28, 1931. H. F. ROBBINS 1,803,146

BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1 29 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 llll HHHH I/ log 9 /&

INVENTOR. ETLTH FIRuhbinsi ATTORNEYS.

} Patented Apr. 28, 1 931 PATENT Price Y nnivnrnnanx noserns, or correct: Gnovu, TENNESSEE I "BOTTLE-VENDING: MACHINE Application filed nine 2c,

The present invention relates to vending machines and the primary object of the vention is to provide a coincontrolled vend; ing machine for dispensing cold bottled bev A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle vending "machine wherein the bottles may be dispensed quickly by an operator upon deposit of a proper coin guided to a position whereby the coin acts as a key to allow operation or; the ejector means for the bottle. or L I c H c A further object oftheinvention is to provide a bottle vending machine wherein the bottles will be'dispen'sed in a'cold and dry condition to the purchaser. I

A further object resides in the novel arrangement whereby the coin slot of any 133.1, ticular bottle magazine is" automatically 29 locked against insertion: of coins after the last bottlehas been dispensed from the magazine, and also the simple-arrangement where by the machine may be quickly changed for operationby-coins of one denominationto operation bycoins of a diiferent denomination. .7

A further object resides in the novel ,arrangement whereby the machine may be altered for refundinga'portion of the purchase 39 price of the bottle, of beverage upon return of the empty bottle into the machine, or altered to receive the empty bottles without a refund tothe purchaser.

A further object, resides'in the novel ar I p i rangement whereby coins of thewrong de-- nomination and size are returned to the-d3. positoimf o 7 i A still further object resides in thefnovel 4 V arrangement whereby the coldest bottle in'the bottle magazine will 'be dispensed upon operation of the ejector means."

Other objects and advantagesof the'i'nvention will be apparent during the-course". 45. of the following detaileddescription taken in connection with ,theacconn janying draw ings, forming a part of this specification and in which drawings; V c

Figure 1 is a vertical section thru the vend- 459 ing machine t ken hruoneotthe bot le mag? tion taken subst 1928. Serial No. 372,466.

azines and ejector. means for dispensing the;

bottles. i V

Figure 2 is a sectiontaken substantially on theline 2.2 of-Figure 1 and showing parts of the apparatus in'section for illustrating -v details of construction.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal secantially on the line -33 of' Figurel V Figure 4 is a fragmentar section on the line 4-4 of'Figure 5 ands owing the coin refund means. 1 1 Figure 5 is afragmentary section on line 5 5 of "Figured thru the refunding means.

Figure 6 is asectionon line 66 of Figure 1 showing the arrangement of the coin slots and the plate .for opening and closing theslots.

V Figure 7 is a'view on areduced scale looking at the front ofthe vending machine. T 1 Referring to the drawings in detail, and

wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout thesevera-l views, the improved bottle vending machine includes a casing or cabinet A formedof any suitable material including front and rear walls 5 and 6 respectively, end walls 7 and 7, and top and bottom walls 8 and 9 respec}: V tively. Mounted Y horizontally within the casing A is a partition 10 forming upper and lower compartments 11 and 12 respectively. Mounted in the upper compartment 11 uponthe partition 10 in abutting relation. with theend wall 7 and rear wall 6, is a rev frigeratorYB provided with a refrigerant chamber 13 enclosed by an insulating casing 1 1. 3 The refrigerator B is provided with hot: tlemagazines 15 which extendlalong the upper. side, downwardly along the front side and beneath the refrigerant chamber 13,, and 90. these magazines are in the form of racewayshaving inclined upper and lower passageways 16 and 17 respectively connected at their forward ends by a vertical passageway 18 whichis of zigzag formation for prevent- 95.; ing possible breaking of the bottles when iilling'the magazine. The passageways 16 and c 17 diverge toward the rearof the cabinet and the rear end of the passageway 16 is closed by;

en 19 P Yi lF in the rear gabinct We l no 6. Provided in the end wall 7 of the cabinet is a door 20 opening into the chamber 13 to permit of iceor any other'suitable refrigerant being placed in the chamber 13. WVhile the chamber 13 may be adapted for receiving ice, mechanical refrigeration may be employed for cooling the bottled beverages and in which case the chamber 13 may receive the cooling coils.

' The bottom wall of each of the lower inclined passageways 17 is hinged at its forward end at 21 to provide trip plates 22 upon which the bottles in the passageway 17 rest and keep the trip plates. depressed upon the strip 23. The forward end of each lower inclined passageway 17 opens downwardly guideway 24 extended 7 which is disposed the rear end portion of a discharge chute 26 which preferably converges toward the front of the cabinet and pro ects slightly thru the front cabinet wall 5 with'its forward end upturned to provide a receiving trough 27 from which the dispensed bottles may be taken by the purchaser. A suitably hinged trap door 28 is extended across the discharge chute 26 just inwardly of the cabinet wall 5 for retarding movement of the bottles down the inclined chute 26 and also prevent entrance to the lower compartment 12 thru the opening 29. By observing Figure 2, it will be seen that the chute 26 serves to receive bottles from either of the bottle magazines 15.

Reciprocably mounted in each guideway 24 for each bottle magazine 15 is a push-out or ejector block 30 which when operated acts to eject one of the bottles 31 thru the opening 25 into the discharge chute 26. hen the blocks 30 are moved forwardly in a manner to be subsequently explained, the lowermost bottle in its respective magazine will fall by gravity into the rear end of the-guideway' 24 so that upon inward or rearward movement of the block the bottle within the guideway will be moved rearwardly, depressing the spring 32 and be deposited in the discharge chute'26. When the block 30 is in its normal inward position the lowermost bottle in the passageway 17 rests upon the upper side ofthe block and is PIQVQHLGd against falling into the guideway 24. V p

The ejector means for each bottle magazine also includes in addition to the ejector hlock30, a slide plate 34 having limited slid- 5 ing movement in the forward portion of the guideways 24. These slide plates 34 act as operating means for the ejector means and are slidably extended thru the front cabinet wall 5 and provided with suitable hand grips 35 which may be grasped by an operator. The inner ends of the slide plates 34 have free sliding movement in substantially fiat slideways 36 provided in the forward ends of the ejector blocks 30 between the upper and lower surfaces of theiejectorblocks. Provided adjacent each edge of the slide plate 34 are elongated slots 37 thru which movement limiting pins 38 extend for limiting inward and outward sliding movement of the plates.

. faces of the blocks and are preferably slightly flared at their upper ends. When the blocks 30 are in their normal inward position the upper ends of the keyways 40 align with apertures 41 provided thru the [plate 23. When the blocks 30 are slid to their forward position the slots at their lower ends align with coin escape openings 42-provided in the bottom strip of the vguideways 24.

Each slide plate'34 is provided intermediate its ends with a slot 43 which aligns with the keyway 40 when the slide plate is in its innermost position with the inner end of the plate abutting with the inner end of the slideway 36. Then the blocks 30 are in their inward position the lower ends of the keyways 40 are closed by a portion of the partitlon 10 forming the lower wall of the guideways 24, and thus the coin entering the keyway is held in a position projecting thru the slide plate 34.

Referring now to the coin control means C for allowing operation of the-ejector blocks 30 upon insertion of aproper coin, the same includes a substantiallyflat cap or cover plate 45 mounted upon the upper surface of the top cabinet wall 8. Beciprocally'mounted in the cap plate 45, one for each ejector block 30, are coin slot control plates 46 of substantially L-shape in plan providing extension portions 46; 1 Provided to extend thru the top cabinet wall 8 beneath the cover plate 45 are coin passageways 47 and 48, a pair of the'control passageways 47 and 48 being provided for each of the control plates 46. The coin passageway 47 is intended to receive nickels, while the passageway 48 is relatively smaller and is intended to receive dimes. The coin slot-control plates 46 are intended to control opening and closing of the passageways 47 and 48 and each plate 46 is provided with a nickel coin slot 49 which aligns with the passageway 47 when the platesare in their normal position. The control plates are of such size thatwhen they'are in their normal rear ward position the dime slots 48 are exposed forwardly of the frontedge ofthe main'loody portion of the plate as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 6. The coin "slotcontrol plates46 are-of course independently'movable and by observing Figure 6 it will'be seen that when the plates are in their normal rearward-po+ sition that both passageways .47 and 48 are open and when the plates are in a forward position both of the passageways 47 and 48 will be closed.

Provided in the cap plate 45 arecoinslots 50 and 51 which align vertically with the respective passageways 47 and 48. These coin slots 50 and 51 are controlled for selective use by means of an adjustable slidev plate .52 having free sliding.;movement between the control plates 46 and top wall' of the cover plate 45. This slide. plate 52 is provided. for changing the dispensing ma-. chine over from. a condition operable .by a; coin of one denomination to a condition operable by a coin of difi'erent denomination.

The plate 52 is providedwith an operatingvided with slots .57 for aligning 'withi the nickel coin slots 50 when theslide plate 8 moves. inwardly, and in. which' position the inner edge of the slide plate covers the dime coin slots '51. When the slide plate is retracted the slots 57 are move'dout of align-.

ment with the nickel coin slots 50 so that the platev closes the nickel'slot, while the inner. edge of the slide plate moves to a position for opening the dime slot 51. Thus it will be seen that. upon adjustment of the slide plate 52 that'the machine may be changed for operation by either a nickel or adim'e. I

.The coinguide means for directing the;

coins from the passageways 47 and 48 to their respective ejector blocks includes coin guides 60 one of which is provided for each ejector block, and these coin guides haveztheir lower ends aligning with and'opening into the coin passageways 41. Mounted beneath each coin passageway 47 is' aninclined coin detector chute61 having its 'forwardlower end extended to a position above the upper flaring ends of the coin guides 60. Theseicoin detector chutes 61 are open as at 62 provid ing narrow flanges at each side of the opening on which a coinotproper size rests-and" is guided thru the chute to-the coin guide 60.

Should a-eoin smallerthan thepropersize be:

inserted in the coin slot 50 the same will pass thru-the opening 52 and fall into the inclined trough 63 having itsv lower end extended thru the front cabinet wall 5. The coin slot 50 isof a size to'permit insertion of a nickel thru the passageway 47," and should a smaller coin suchasa penny or dime be inserted in the slot 50 the same will fall thru the opening 62 and be returned to the depositor by the trough63. Arranged beneath each coin passageway 48-is an inclined coinchute64 iordirecting coins inserted thru the coin slot 51 into the upper open end of the coin guide 6O.v Thus it will be seen that both the coin detector 51 and the coin chute 64 lead to their respective coin guides 60. I

Means. is provided for automatically closing the coin slots 50 and 51 when their res ective bottle ma azines have been em tied of the last bottle, and this means embodies an L-shaped throw lever 66-the lower horizontal arm-portion 67 of which is rigidly attached to the trip plate;22 so that theupper. end of the longer vertical portion 68 is swung forwardly and rearwardly thru up and down movement of the trip plate about its. hinge point 21; The upperend of the lever arm portion 68 extends thru a slot 69.

inthe top cabinetwa-ll- 8 and projects thru an opening provided in the extension portion 46: of the coin slot control plate 46-. A spring. 70 attached to the upper end of the lever arm'68 acts to normally bring the lever portion forwardly. and raise its trip plate as shown by dotted lines" in Figure 1; The

weight of the. bottles resting upon the trip plate-normally hold'the trip plate down so that the upper end of the lever arm portion 68"is swung rearwardly and retains the control plat-e 46in a position uncovering both of the coin passageways '47 and 48 soilong as inclined there are bottles in the lower bottle passageway 17. When the last-bottle has moved oif the trip plate the spring 70 swings the-throw lever and soshifts the coin slotcontrol plate asto close both the passageways 47 and 48 and thereby preventing insertion of coins thruthe coin slots 50 and 5,1. In Figure6, the lower coin'slot control plate 46 is shown in a position closingboth of, the coin passageways 47 and 48'. The coins afterpassing frointhe coin receiving keyways 40 thru their respective coin escapeopeni'ngs '42, drop into. coin chutes 7 1 andgare directedover the bottle pzlischarge chute 26 into suitable coin boxes a selected one of the bottle magazines 15, and should the purchase price of'the bottle be five cents, anickel is inserted into-the coin slot 50 and is directed by the chute 6'1' and coin guide 60 into the coin receiving n operation for dispensing a. bottle I from keyway40 whereby the coin acts as a key for conne tingthie ejector block fo movem nt.

with the slide plate 34. Vith'the ejector block 30 thus connected for movement with the guide plate 3% the operator grasps the hand grip-35 and exertsa pull thereon drawing the ejector block forwardly in its guideway until the forward end of the block abuts with the inner surface of the front cabinet wall 5 and at which time the coin receiving keyway 40 will align vertically above the coin escape opening 42. This forward or outward movement of the ejector block uncovers the open lower end of the bottle passageway 17 and allows one of the bottles to drop into the guideway 2% at the inner or rear end of the ejector block. The coin in the keyway 40 drops by gravity thru the opening 12 into the chute 71 and is'directed into the coin b r; 7 2. The operator then pushes inwardly on the slide plate which causes the ejector block to be moved inwardly and ejects the bottle in the guideway 24 into the discharge opening 25 where it travels down the inclined discharge chute 28 to the receiving trough 27. lVhen there is no coin in'the keyway 40' the slide plate 34 may be slid by grasping the grip 35 without having any effect or imparting any movement to the ejector block.

When the purchase price of the bottle of beverage is ten cents, the lock 56 is removed allowing the adj ustable-slide plate 52 to be adjust-ed for opening the dime slot 51 and closing the nickel slot 50. The coins then inserted in the-slot 51 are guided by the chute '6 1 and coin guide 60 into the keyway 40 thereby connecting the ejector block so that the same will be moved upon operation of the slide plate. When the purchase price of the bottle of beverage is ten cents and a refund of five cents ismade for the return of the empty bottle into the machine, a coin refund means D as shown particularly in Figures 2, 4L and 5 provides fora cash refund upon return of the empty bottle into the cabinet A.

The refund means D is mounted in one end of the cabinet A abovethe plateform 10 and embodies a sliding bottle receiver 80 slidable ina guide block 81. The receiver 80 slidably projects thru the front cabinet wall 5 and is provided with a suitable hand grip 82 which may be gripped for sliding movement of the receiver. The inner end of the bottle receiver is provided with a transversely extending bottle receiving channel 83 into which the empty bottles are guides when the receiver is withdrawn. When the bottle re ceiver is retracted bottles placed in the trough 84: are guided thru the opening 85 into the channel 83 and held therein by a yieldable guard 86 until the bottle receiver is moved ir wardly into engagement with the mounting block 87. Opening upwardly into the guide block 81 at its inner end is a discharge opening 88 into which the empty bottles fall and are directed-thru the chute 89 into the lower compartment 12. As the bottle receiver-80 is retracted the bottle in-the channel 83 is forced over'th'e shallow fian'ge'12 by a spring plate 90. .7 I

Mounted for sliding movement in a guideway 91 provided in the upper side of the blockthru the lower end of the coin tube on the upper surface of the block 9 1. The ejector finger 97"is connected atits rear end'tothe cross arm 93 for .reciprocatory movement with the plunger 92. Extendedacross the forward end of'the block-94 is atrough 98 communicating at its lower end with a coin return .chute- 99 which projects forwardly thru the front cabinet wall 5; 7 Connected with the side edges of the bottle receiver 80 to extend oneat each side of the block 94 are rods 100 which slid-ably extend thru the ends of the cross arm 93 and are connected rearwardly of the arm by a cross piece 101 which engages the cross arm 93 when the bottle :receiver 80 isrwithdrawn. The forward end of the rod 100 may be connected tothe bottle receiver 80 by suitable brackets 102. The cross piece 101 when the bottle receiver is-fully inserted projects slightly beyond the rear or inner end of the mounting block 97.

.In operation of the refund means the operator firstgrasps the hand grip 82 and withdraws the bottle receiver 80 after which the empty bottle is placed'in the trough 8 and guided by gravity to'the channel 83. The operator then pushes the bottle receiver-id wardly and since the plunger 92 is disposed in the path of movement of the bottle the bottle engages the forward end of the plunger and slides the same rearwardly in the I guide-way 91 into a position as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In this position the coins in the coin tube 95 drop by gravity upon the upper surface of the block 94' with the lowermost coin in the path of travel of the ejector finger 97. The operator then withdraws or. pulls out on the bottle receiver 80 allowing the spring 90 to roll the bottle over the shallow flange 12 into the opening 88 where it passes thru the chute 89 into the compartment 12. Continued forward movement of the bottle receiver causes the cross piece'lOl to engage the cross arm 93 and slides the ejector finger 97 forwardly so that one of the coins is moved by the; finger into the trough 98 where it passes by gravity into the coin return chute 99. When there is no bottle in the channel 83 the bottle receiver 80 may be slid inwardly and outwardly without ejecting a coin from the tube 95 thru reason of the lost motion between therod 100 and cross arm 93. The normal position of the plunger 92 and ejectorfinger 97 is as shown by dotted lines in Figure 5.

Provided in the lower portion of the front cabinet wall 5 and opening into the lower compartment 12 is a bottle receiving open-4 The rear end of the shaft 105 may be provided with a suitable lock 108 for retaining the shaft in either of its adjusted positions. Afiixed to the rear portion of the shaft 105 is a swinging lock plate 110 having movement thru the partition 10 at the rear end of the mounting block 87. Rotation of the shaft 105 swings the lock plate 110 upwardly at the front side of the cross strip 101 so that the plate prevents withdrawal of the bottle receiver 80. When the closure plate 107 is in a closing position over the opening 104 the lock plate 110 is out of engagement with the cross strip 101 and allows operation of the bottle receiver 80 so that a person cannot remove bottles from the compartment 12 thru the opening 104 and again receive a refund therefor by placing the bottle in the bottle receiver 80. The lower compartment 12may be provided at the rear cabinet wall 6 with a suitable door 112 for gaining access to the lower compartment.

As before stated, the vending machine may be provided with any desired number of the bottle magazines 15 for dispensing beverages of different kinds, and if the number of bottle magazines be a multiple of two, it is pre ferred that the magazines be mounted up in pairs having a single discharge chute for two ad acent magazines.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a novel and improved construction for vending machines for dispensing cold bottled beverages has been disclosed which will be efiicient in operation and will dispense a cold dry bottle of the beverage. It will further be apparent that a novel arrangement has been shown wherein thecoin acts as a key to permit operation of the machine and one wherein coins of wrong denominations, and coins accidentally inserted in the wrong coin slot will be returned tothedepo itor. a will further be apparent, that a nov l construction for bottle vending machines" has been disclosed wherein deposit of-coins isprevented after the bottle magazine is emptiei and one wherein a charge refund will be made upon return of the empty bottleinto tl1e-macl1ine;*It will further be apparent that with the novel-arrangement that the coldestbottl'es in the bottie reservoirs are dispensed upon operation of theejector'mean's.

of invention herein shown and described, withoutdeparting from the spiritof the invention or the scope of the following claims.

fIola-im: i

Changes in detail may be made to the form I 1. Ina bottle vendingm'achine the 'combis nation of a cabinet, a gravity feed bottle 'receiving passageway having an open lower end, a guideway extendingbeneath the open lower end for singly receiving the bottles,

an ejector block reciprocally" mounted in the V guideway and having its inner end normal-1y closing the lower open end of the passageway when the block is in its inward position, a

manually operable slide plate relatively movable in the ejector block, 'and'coin control means including a coin guide for directing'a coin into a releasable position keying the ejector block for movement by the slide plate.

2. In a bottle vending machine theco'mb-ination 'of a cabinet, a gravity feed bottle'receiving passageway having an open lower end, a g'uideway extending beneath the open lower end and having an open inner end, an ejector block reciprocally movable in the passageway and having its inner end closing the lower fopen end of the passageway when the block is in its normal inWardpQsition and permitting the lowermost bottle to drop into the gui'deway when in its outward position, a spring keeper plate. partially closing the open inner end of the guideway, a

slide'plate relatively movablein the ejector block, and coin control means including a coin guide for directing a coin into a keying position between the ejector block and slide plate for outward movement of the'ejector' block by the'slide plate.

3. In a bottle vending machine, a cabinet, a "gravity. feed bottle receiving passageway having an open lower end, aguideway ex tending'beneath the open flowergend of the passageway and having an open inner end providing adischarge opening, an ejector block reciprocally mounted in the guideway with its inner end normally closing the open lower end "of the'-'passageway, a slide plate projectingifrom the cabinetand relatively,

movable in the ejector block, coin controlmeans including a coin -g'u1de for directing a 7 coin to a keying position connecting the ejecthe in said guideway,-a discharge chute communicating-with the discharge opening at the inner end of said guideway, and into which the bottle in the guideway is ejected by the inner end of the ejector block upon inward movement of the ejector block, and means -permitting escape of the coin at the outward limit of movement of the ejector block. I

, 4:. In a bottle vending machine the combiv nation of a cabinet, a gravity feed bottle passageway having an open lower end, a guldway beneath the lower open end of the pasc sageway and having a discharge opening arranged at the inner. end of the guideway, a discharge chute communicating with the dis. charge opening, an ejector block reciprocally mounted in the guideway for permitting the lowermost bottle in the passageway to drop to a position at rest in the guideway upon an outward movementof the block and ejection of the bottle thruthe discharge opening upon inward movement of the block, said block being provided'with a vertical coin receiving keyway, and having a slideway intersecting the keyway, a slide plate reciprocally movablein said slideway, said slide plate having a coin slot for aligning with the keyway when the slide plate is in engagement at its inner end with the inner end or the slideway, coin control means including a coin guide for directing the coin to the keyway when the ejector block is in its inward position, and means permitting escape of the .coin upon outward limit of movement of the ejector block by the slide plate. 7

5. In a bottle vending machine including a gravity feed bottle receiving passageway having an open lower end, a guideway extended horizontally beneath the open lower 40 end or" the passageway, an ejector block reciprocally mounted in the guideway and having its inner end normally closing the open lower end of the passageway. when the block j is in its inward position, said block when moved outwardly to permit the lowermost bottle from the passageway to drop to a position at rest in the guideway at the inner end of the ejector block, a coin receiving keyway formed vertically thru the ejector block, a slideway provided in the block between the upper and lowerends of the keyway and opening at the outer end of the block, a slide plate having reciprocatory movement in said slideway and having a coin slot aligning with said keyway when the inner end of the slide plate abuts with the inner end of the slideway, meansfor directing a coin into the key- Way whereby the ejector block is keyed by r the coin for outward movement by the slide plate, and a coin escape opening provided in the bottom of said guideway permitting escape of the coin from said keyway at the out ward limit of movement of the ejector block.

05 i-HEN Y FRANK ROB INS. 

